The invention relates to grill assemblies and more particularly to grill assemblies in which a hood is pivotally associated with an underlying grilling tub for movement between a closed position and at least one open position.
In grill assemblies of this type, a suitable heating element is generally disposed in a rear portion of the grill tub, and a grilling grate is supported on the tub above and forwardly of the heating element. When the hood is in an open position, food disposed on the grate is heated by the element both directly from below and indirectly from above via reflection of heat from the hood. When the hood is in the closed position, a limited degree of food preparation (i.e., warming and/or baking) is possible.
Such known designs have lacked flexibility for the versatile preparation of foods, particularly when the hood is in the closed position. Such problems, which have prevented the apparatus from being used for the heating of liquids, roasting of solid foods, and the like, arise principally from problems of inadequate access to the product to be heated and relatively low heating efficiency.
Additionally, such assemblies have been difficult and expensive to manufacture because of the necessity of employing and stockpiling separate tools for the formation of the hood and the tub.
Also, such assemblies, while nominally portable, are in practice relatively heavy and clumsy to transport, so that their utility for camping applications and the like is impaired.